A/N: This chapter is complete shit! :/ I hope you'll still continue reading this! Feel free to tell me just how shity this is! Haha. I will try and make the next one better!

"I'm sorry about running away the way I did," Mitchie started. "But, honestly Shane, what did you expect? Were you expecting me to just give back into you after everything so easily? You really hurt me."

Shane lightly placed a hand over hers, squeezing it gently, urging her to continue.

"I don't understand how you can still say you love me after all this time. If you really loved me in the first place you wouldn't have left me the way you did, right?"

"Like I've said, Mitchie, I was scared. You know what it's like to run away when you're scared. That's what you did after high school to escape me."

Mitchie nodded her head, slowly understanding. Running away always seems like the easiest thing to do in the moment.

"Okay." She said.

"Okay?" Shane asked, confused.

"I understand why you did what you did," She explained. "I still don't like it and it still hurts like hell, but I understand."

"So, does this mean you forgive me?" He questioned.

Mitchie slowly nodded, still hesitant of her choice. She stood from the bed, looking down at Shane. She was unsure of what she should do next. She wasn't ready to give her heart to him again, as he was willing to take it.

"I know that you're still unsure of giving me another chance, I understand your fear, but please know I'm not going anywhere again." He stood up and moved closer to her, their noses almost touching.

She sucked in her breath, afraid of moving away. The only movement she would make was the nodding of her head. "Mitchie?" Shane whispered.

She looked back up at him, still unable to speak.

"Will you please say something?"

Mitchie opened her mouth, but quickly shut it again not knowing what she should say. "Friends?" She finally managed to squeak out, her voice only sounding of a whisper.

Shane's face fell dramatically. Mitchie knew what he wanted, to be together, she wasn't ready for that. The most she could offer him was her friendship, which, in her opinion, was better than her original plan of cutting him out completely.

"Friends?" He repeated, hurt lacing his voice.

"That's all I can offer you right now, Shane. I'm not the same naïve little girl you met when you were eleven." Mitchie spoke, trying to keep her voice even and confident. "I've changed, grow up, I'm guarded now." She said honestly.

Shane looked down at the ground and sighed, feeling defeated. "I don't know if I can do that, Mitchie. I understand where you're coming from, I do, and I just can't ignore my own feelings."

It was Mitchie's turn to look down at the ground and nod. "It seems that we're at an in pass then."

"It seems so." He dug his hands into his pockets, knowing where his words have now landed him.

"Can we at least be civil around each other?" She asked, hopeful. "For Caitlyn's sake? We've put her through enough with our situation."

Shane nodded and turned away, desperately wanting this conversation to be over and opened the door, signaling for Mitchie to leave him to wallow in self-pity.

Mitchie sighed and walked over to the door. "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what you wanted to hear." She couldn't help but let a tear escape down her cheek. She leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on Shane's cheek before walking out the door.

"Is everything good between you two again?" Nate asked hopeful, running into Mitchie in the hall.

"We have an understanding." I smiled weakly and continued out of the building.

I heard Nate groaning, obviously understanding that in-fact, no, things were not okay between them again.

Caitlyn gave the same reaction after Mitchie had told her what happened between her and Shane. Mitchie had tried to reassure her that there would be no need to avoid each other any longer and that they would always be there for her when she needed them, even if that meant being around each other.

Caitlyn was grateful for this, but knew it wasn't what either of them wanted. She knew Mitchie was afraid and Shane wanted to move forward. She knew this was going to be a long year ahead of her.

A few days have passed since Mitchie and Shane's talk, and since Caitlyn had decided to move from working on her and Shane's project at their dorm, to Shane's dorm. Mitchie had tried to tell Caitlyn that she didn't need to do so, but Caitlyn insisted.

Except, a week after the switch, there was a change of plans and they needed to work in Mitchie and Caitlyn's room again. Mitchie honestly didn't mind, at least that's what she had kept saying, but Caitlyn knew it wasn't what she preferred.

"Do you want me to leave?" Mitchie asked, rolling her eyes at Caitlyn's attempt to cancel with Shane. "Because if you're going to make this big a deal out of it then I can do that so you can work without having a spaz attack."

"Are you sure it won't be awkward? I don't want you two to feel awkward."

Mitchie grabbed Caitlyn by the shoulders. "I promise you everything will be fine! It's not like I haven't handled you two working here before. Nothing has changed."

Caitlyn sighed, finally giving in. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll stop freaking out."

"Thank you!" Mitchie giggled.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "I need to hit the bathroom really quickly. Can you let Shane in if I'm not back when he gets here? Will you be able to handle that?"

"Yes, mom, I can handle opening the door for someone." She rolled her eyes again. "Now, get out of here and go pee or whatever you need to do!" She said while shoving her out of the room.

Less than a minute later, sure enough Shane was at the door.

"Hi, Shane. Caitlyn's in the bathroom but she should be back any second." Mitchie said as politely as she could, letting him into the room.

She was actually rather proud of herself for not feeling as awkward as Shane obviously looked.

"You don't need to be so tense, Shane."

He looked up, sadness in his eyes. He looked awful truthfully. The bags under his eyes had bags. Mitchie's heart sank. She wanted to know if he was okay, but she already knew the answer.

"Are you okay?" She asked anyways, not sure she actually wanted to know the answer.

He shrugged.

Talking to Shane felt like pulling teeth. It was painful.

"You look like you haven't slept in days." She continued.

"That's because I haven't. I've had too much on my mind." He said lowly.

"Why not?" She asked timidly.

He stared directly into Mitchie's eyes, holding her stare. "I can't stop thinking about what I've done to you." He whispered after a few moments of staring.